Apple to open retail stores in India

The world’s best smartphone company is getting ready to tap the world’s second largest smartphone market. Apple – and the iPhone – are expected to bring their retail stores to India soon.

Apple had filed proposal seeking permission for single-brand retailing and sell products online in January

Apple CEO Tim Cook had stated at a company town hall in California that they would focus on emerging markets including India.

The California-based phone giant is on track to get clearance to open its first retail stores in India. A Bloomberg report citing a person with knowledge of the matter suggested that Apple will however have to resubmit the request as it was not in the “right format”. The person, who asked not to be identified as the details are not yet public, added that the Indian government has plans to push through Apple’s application to set up outlets.

The Bloomberg report says that Apple can be expected to qualify as a “provider of cutting-edge technology”, which will help the company be exempted from a rule that asks foreign businesses retailing a single brand in India to secure 30 per cent of a product’s inputs locally.

Apple currently makes the majority of its devices in China. At present the company sells the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other products via third-party re-sellers in the country.